Camera construction



July 31, 1945. c. LATEINER 2,380,453

CAMERA CONSTRUCTION med April 1, 19.11 s sheets-sheet 1 July 31, 1945.'Q .NEWER 2,380,453

CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Filed April l, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO EY An-MCAMERA CONSTRUCTION Filed April l, 1941 3 ,Sheets-Sheet 5 Q INVENTOR Q23 226 Charles Lazeze 2&5 ATTO NEY .above described;

lessee sin@ si.` isos @harles Lateiner, New Rochelle, N. Y., assigner toElba Trading Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkAppunti@ April 1, 194i, sensi No. 386.245.

(ci. ias-ssi l Claims. "l'lie`present invention relates to a camera construction and it particularly relates to a small compact inexpensivecamera construction includin! a built-in range finder.

It has not been found customary to provide lbuilt-in range finders formost low price camera constructions because oi the added expenseinvolvedI and it is among the objects of the present invention toprovide an improved simplified builtin range under construction forcameras, which will without unduly increasing the'bulk of the camera orits cost. nevertheless enable an accurate determination of the distanceof the object 'to be photographed and focusing of the camera so as topermit taking of accurate sharply. de-l fined pictures of such objects.

It is also an object of' the present invention to provide a simplifiedcamera' construction which may be readilv constructed and repaired andwhich will be made in such a manner es to enable ready insertion oi' theiilm to be exposed or removal of such film after exposure. l v

Still further objects and advantages will ap- Dear from the moredetaileddescription set forth below, it being understood, however, .that thismore detailed description is given by way of illustration, since variouschanges therein may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Inv accomplishing the above oblects it has been found most satisfactoryaccording to one embodiment of the present invention'to provide a gearand pinion construction, said gear taking the iorm of a ring enclosingthe lens housing, which gear through said pinion will drive a screw toadglust a carrier for an oblique mirror which coop crates with anotheroblique transparent mirror.

Either of these mirrors may be initially adjusted to a fixed positionand thereafter adjustments may 'be made by rotation of the gear untilthe overlapping or split images which are produced by the mirrorscoincide. giving the proper focus and setting of the camera inaccordance with the distance of the object to be photographed,

It has been found most convenient to mount these small mirrors in alaterally elongated casing at the top of the camera structure with the lcarrier for one of the mirrors being an elongated thin metal platehaving an off-struck leg serving us a resilient member to bias the plaieagainst adjustment by the screw actuated by the gear it has been foundmoet desirable Oto provide the ronge iinder and lens vconstruction onone unit @lud lo orm the main casing including the back,

sides and the bottom oi' the camera as another unit. which is designedto be combined with or separated from the lensand range iinderoonstruction to enable repair of the camera or insertion or removal of anlm.

In the preferred form. the casing has a recessed open front and open topwhich may be closed by insertion ofthe range finder-lens unit, whichunit is designed to be slid down into position to cover the recessedfront and open top of the casing.

The back of the casing is preferably provided with a latch or lock'tolock the construction together consisting of a key or latch member extending through the rear ol the casing and engagins the lower part ofthe lens carrier.

The back of the camera ycasing may be pro-l 4vided with a sheet metalunit having a plurality lof arms. two of which may form the frames forthe windows through which the positioning of the film may be observedand the othersof which may serve to support a presserv plate to bepressed against the illm and to hold it in position to be exposed.

The back of the camera may be provided with a turning leaf springAelement which may be rotated to cover said windows through which themovement of the film may be observed.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate several of the variouspossible embodiments of the present invention, but to which the presentinvention is by no means restricted, since the drawings are merely byway of illustration and not by way of limitation,

' Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the camera construction,

Big is an end elevational view,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse elevational view upon the line 4--4 of Fig. l,upon an enlarged scalo as ccnl@ pared to Fig.. l.

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary transverse sectional view upon the line 6am-4aof Fig. i. showing the latch or lock to hold the camera structure to@gether,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view upon the line l-l of Fig. 4 toshow the presser plate and the spider support therefor,

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. l, showing the lensunit partly raised irom the casing unit.

Eig. l' isa transverse sectional view unen the line l--li ci Fig. i upona somewhat smaller scale. showing the detailed' drive mechanism of therange nnden v Fig. d is a transverse sectional view noch view upon theline i-IO of Fig. 8, showing one o! the range nnder mirrors upon an`enlarged scale as compared to Fig. 8,

In the alternative embodiment oi Figs. 11 to i7, Fig. 1l is a frontelevational view upon a somewhat smaller scale as compared to Fig. 1,

Fig. 12 is a sectional view upon the line i2--I2 of Fig. l1, similar to,but somewhat smaller than Fig. 13 is a transverse fragmentary sectionalview upon the line II--IS of Fig. 11,

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 12, with thelens carrier in extended position, I

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view upon the lineIB--Ilof Fig. 14,

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion oi the stop pinand catch construction. i

Fig. 17 is a front perspective view of the spring `presser member, and

Fig. 18 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a roller pinconstruction permitting adn justment ot the lens carrier to the range atwhich the picture is to be taken.

Referring to the drawings, the camera con struction consists of a casingA, a front plate B, carrying the teiescoping lens structure C. Thecasing D receives the spa-ced range ilnder mirrors, as best shown inFig; 8. 1

Referring particularly to Figs. l to 3 and the casing has the curvedrear i0, the bottom Ii, the rounded ends or sides i1 and the front i3,which has aytongue at iii.

Received in the tongue il is the front plate B. which as shown in Figs.6 and 9, is provided with the edge portions it slotted at It to slideonto the side edges of the tongue iii.

The lower edge l1 of the front plate, as shown in Fig. 4, is providedwith a slot i8 which receivs' the opstanding ange I9 turned up from theplate 2li attached to the bottom Ii 0f the camera. The upturned portion9 ot the bottoin Ii will abut the lower edge of the front plate B andact as a stop.

The plate B carries the supplemental front casing 2i, which has thefront wall 22, the cylim `irical wall 23 and the top dome 24 (see parmticularly Fig. 4).

Referring to Figs. 4 and 9, the lens assernbltv C is carried by thesleeve 2t, which slides through the opening 2B in the plate 2 and alsoslides in the sleeve 2l. The sleeve 2li bears in the sleeve 28 attachedto .the front wall 'Th sleeve Il has a flange M and is encircled .forthemirror construi- 2, the'handle I2 will be locked against movement.

This latching is accomplished by recessing the piste member as at u (seeFigs. 1. s and 9). 'nie recess 4| is designed to receive the head Il' o!the small screw which is threaded into the side oi' the box 2 I.

When the element 3l is pressed downwardly against the spring I1, thehandle 32 may be used to turn'the ring gear Il) together `with thesleeve 21. This in turn will rotate the pinion Il, which is positionedin the dome 2L r The pinion 43 is mounted on the shalt Il and drives ascrew 45 (see Figs. 4 and 9), which is threaded into the block 46. Theblock It is mounted by the screws 41 on the top plate 4I of the camerastructure. This top plate 48 is provided with a peripheral groove I9,which receives the upper edge 50 of inside plate |32 at the back I0 andsides ii o! the casing A.

Attached to the top I8 is the casing 5i for the view observer and therange tindercombination D, which is best shown in Fig. 8.

The casing 5l has the top wall 52, the front wall 53, the curved sidewall 54 and the rear wall 5G.

As shown particularly in Fig. 8, there is provided a tube 5l having thefront and rear lenses or glasses 58 and. `259, which are held by theframe rings 60 and 6I. Through the glasses 5B and i! and the tube 5l thepictureto be taken may be observed..

The back [ace 55 is also provided with the window B2 covered by theglassli. `the edge of which is held by the ring 84 through which theoperation of the range iinder may be observed and controlled.

The front plate 5t is provided with windows til and 66, which arecovered by the glasses t1 and fifi, the edges of which Iare held down bythe rings 69 and lil. l

The windows t2, 55 and G are arranged to cooperate with the rangefinding mirrors which is movable, and F, which is designed to be fixedin aniriitialiy adjusted position.

The blocl: il also projects through and tits in an opening in the frontwall 53 of the casing Il.

The screws li (see Figs. l. 2. 6 and 'il pass through the outsideportions olf the box M and through the base plate it ci the casing iii.The

plate 12 has the upturned cars 'i3 which are attached by the screws M tothe side' walls oi' the casing lli (see Fig. 4).

The elongated plate 'lli which serves as a carrier an E is mounted uponsaid plate l2 by the screw 1 6, which rides in the slot Ti.

This plate'lil has a i'iowntumed flange 'it (see Fig. 1i) which abatsend the screw lili and which pressed against said screw by the resilienttongue "i9 (see liiiig. ill. the end oi. 'which ciownwarriilty at intoan or u, "1

with t l is provided with an arcuate slot 9| receiving the screw 92which enables adjustment of the angular position of the mirror.

The adjustment 92, together with the adjustments 00, permit adjustmentof the horizontal and vertical inclination oi' the mirror structures Eand F so that they will properly transmit and reflect light receivedfrom the object to be photographed through the windows 01 and 00 to therear window B3 and to the eye so that the focusing ofthe image may bemost conveniently performed.

After initial setting of the arrangement as shown, turning of the handle32 after unlatching Fig. 9 will be superimposed. By making the mirrors Eand F, so that each will only transmit half of the image, a split imageeilect will be obtained.

This range nding'arrangement which may be integrally incorporated intothe camera housing, as indicated particularly in Figs. 4 and 8, issubstantially entirely constructed of sheet metal elements, with aminimum of machine parts and although inexpensive and durable, isnevertheless accurate.

The front plate B also carries a box |00, which has the curved backportions |0| and the back plate |02, with the window or opening |03through which the lm is exposed (see Figs. 4 and 9).

The nlm' |04 passes over said plate |02 in pass,- ing from the spool |05to the spool |00, which spools are supported from the top plate 40. Thespool |00 may be turned bythe knob |01, which is positioned above thetop plate,40.

'Ihe presser plate |00, which is best shown in Fig. 5, is supported andpressed forwardly by the spider member |00, which is screwed at ||0 tothe back I0 of the camera casing A. y

The arms |I| of said spider |09 are provided with slotted end portions|I2 in which are received the slide screws H3.'

The pressure upon the pressure plate |00 will result in outward movementof the arms whereas release of the pressure plate |00 will permit saidarms to move inward and press said plate |00 forwardly.

The spider |00 is also provided with the arms H4, which terminate in thewindow frame members ||5 having the ears ||0 which are rivetted orscrewed at ||1 to the curved back I0 of the casing A.

The frames ||5 cooperate with the elongated element |.|0, which isprovided with the frame members |.|3 and carries the swinging cover lmember |20 by the screw or p ivot I2 l.

Between the frame members ||9 and ||5 and in openings of the rear walli0 of thev casing A` are held the red colored transparent windows |22,

which may be covered or uncovered by rotating the swinging member |20from the position shown in Fig. 3.

As arranged, the intermediate portion of thc elongated member |20 isbulged at |23 from the back I0 of the camera. casing A and has presseddown portions |24 which cover the windows |22.

The presser plate |00 and the spider |09, as shown in Figs. 4. 5 and 9,may be readily stamped out of sheet metal and this greatly simplifiesand ydecreases the cost of construction of the camera.

The latch construction is best shown in the' bottom of Fig. 4 and inFig. 4a. 'Ihis latch construction is provided with a sliding pin-likemember |30, which slides in the sleeve |3| turned outwardly from theinner double wall |32. Said sleeve 13| projects through the back doublewall |0.

The head of the pin is enlarged and knurled, as indicated at |33 and hasthe side fins |33a. The pin |30 extends through a block |34, which ismounted on said inner wall |32 adjacent the bottom of the casing A.

'Ihe end |35 of the pin |30 is designed to fit in the opening |30 in theblock |31 to hold the assemblage together.

The pin |30 receives the bar |30 which contacts with the leaf spring |33having the foot members |40 pressing against said inside wall |32.

When the pin |30 is withdrawn and turned thek and 6. has the glass lensarrangement |43 with 4the'carrying ring |44 held in position by thescrews |45. The lens is provided with the shutter lever |46 and with theexposure adjustment lever 41. 1

, The lever |40 enables adjustment of the opening of the iris. 'I'helens when used is normally designed to be pulled out until the stopscrews |49 on the cylinder 25 contact the end |50 of the barrel 21.

Then by releasing the latch 4|-42 upon pressing down the element 35against the arm 32. the lens may be adjusted so that the object to bephotographed will be in focus.

The area to be photographed will be observed through the windows 50 and59 in the tube 51, whereas the superimposed or split images may beobserved through the window 03. During the adjustment of the'handle32,'the movement of which handle will be transmitted through the gear 30and the pinion 43 to the screw 45 moving the plate 15 together with itsmirrorA E until the images are superimposed or coincide, as observedthrough the window 63.

The lever |41 will have been. previously set for the proper exposure andthe lever |40 for the proper opening and then the shutter may be openedby the lever |46. Thelm may be readily turned bythe knob |01 and itsmovement may be observed through the windows |22.

To remove or insert the l'm, the pin 30 may be withdrawn and the casingA removed from the front plate B. After the film` has' been removedand/or replaced, the casing A may again be asscmbled with the frontplate' B, with the engaging vof the ns or edges of the casing A namelyas indicated at |9 and 50 in 4 and |0 in Fig. 9, with the channels I4,l0 and'- 43 (see also Figs.

4 and 9), forming a complete light-tight conncction. v

The method in which the elements are assembled together is wellindicatedin Fig. 5 and when the assembly is complete, the locking pin130 will snap into the opening or recess i546 in the block |31.

The plate 108 will press the iilm to be exposed against the back of thechamber |00 and against the plate |02 around the opening m3.

In the alternative construction shown in Figs. il to 17, similarlyfunctioning parts are indicated by the same numerals as designated inFigs. 1 to 10, however primed.

In Figs. 1l to 14, the tubular member 200 has an outstanding flange 20i,which extends outwardly to contact the side walls 202 and the top andbottom walls 203 and 2W. oi the enclosure 205. The enclosure 205 carriesroller members 206, over which the nlm |04' moves and the frame in backof the enclosure 205 is formed by the member 201 having the top andbottom members -208 of L shaped cross section and the side members 208.

The outstanding spring fingers 2 i0 are attached by the rivets 2||adjacent the corners 212 upon the inside flanges 213 of the frame andthey press against the flange 20i at the baci: of the tube 280 and tendto project it from the position shown in Fig. l2 to the position shownin Fig. i4.

The tubular member 200 also carries the rollers, best shown in Figs. l5and 18, which consist ci set screws 2id having threaded end portions Zieto be screwed into the tube 200. Each screii.r Elfi has an enlarged head'ZIE which holds the roller 2li in position on the shank 216.

The ring 2|8 which turns with the lever Bill having the handle 220 has aseries of oblique shoulders 22|, which contact the rollers 211 when thetube 200 is in extended position, as shown in Fig. 14.

The ring 218 is riveted, as indicated at 222 to the plate 223, which isintegral with the lever 2I9, said plate turning in front of the plate ofthe box member 2id and said ring 258 being positioned in back of saidinturned flange 225.

It will be noted by referenceto Fig. 16 that the arm 219 is stopped bycontact with the stop pin On the rotating lens carrier structure 220,there is provided an outwardly extending pin 221 which is designed to bereceived in. the projecting portion 228 of the catch 229 to hold thetube 200 in retracted position, as indicated in Fig. i2. As soon as thepin 221, however, is turned away from the overhanging portion 22E of thecatch 229, the tube 220 will snap out into the position as shown. inFig. 14 under the influence of the spring fin-y gers 2i0.

It will be noted that the ring 2i@ is provided with a recess 230, whichreceives a gasket Z3! to 1sea; the interior of the camera againstleakage ol ig t.

The other elements in the embodiment of Figs. 11 to 18 are substantiallythe same character and construction as already described in connectionwith Figs. l to 10 and it is not necessary again to describe them.

It will be noted that according to the embodimentsl oi' Figs. 11 to 18,the adjustment oi the lens to the distance of the. object to be pho-Atographed will be effected by slight backward and forward movement ofthe tubes ililil as the rollers 211 ride over the oblique cam faces 22icarried by the ring 218.

This adjustment will be effected together with adjustment of the rangefinder construction positioned at the top of the camera, as alreadydescribed in connection with Figs. l to 10.

It will valso be noted that the tubular member 200 may be readilysnapped out into extended position, as shown in Fig. 14, when the pin221 is released from the catch 22'8.

It is to bevunderstood that many alternative and varying constructionsmay be made pursuant to the broad aspects of the present invention, asabove lpointed out, and it is intended to cover and include all suchalternatives and variations as come within thescope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a camera construction, a range finder comprising spaced obliquelypositioned mirrors on top of the camera, a ring gear on the front of thecamera, a pinion at the top of said carriera meshing with said ringgear, a screw connected to said` pinion and means actuated-by said screwto move one of said mirrors, said camera being provided with e.retractable cylindrical lens mount positioned inside of said ring gear,a sleeve carrying said ring gear positioned on said cylindrical lensmount and an adjustment member projecting from said sleeve and tted intoan obliquely slotted casing encircling the lens mount.

camera construction comprising a retractable cylindrical lens mount,having a stop ele ment limiting the extension thereof, a sleeve forminga bearing for and encircling said cylindrical mount, a ring gear Ilxedto said sleeve, a pinion actuated by said ring gear, a screw membei'forming a pivot mount for said pinion, a bloei; having a threadedpart'to receive said screw, a sheet metal carrier provided with e. pivotmount on the top of the camera construction and a. down-turned lugengaging said screw, one end of said plate being `lip-turned to form a.frame. an oblique mirror positioned in said frame and another adjustablemirror positioned on top of said camera construction to cooperate withand substantially spaced from, said first mentioned mirror to serve as arange finder.

3. in` a camera construction, a casing, a reciprocable tube in saidcasing, a lens carried. by said tube, a fixed member guiding said tubein its reciprocating movements, a frame at the inside end of said fixedmember over which the in: is

pass-eti for exposure, a plurality of leaf. springs positioned at theinside end of said fixed member to 'bias said reciprocable tubeforwardly and adinstable stop means to iii: the forward position ci saidreciprocable tube and adjust the focus in accordance with the distanceof the object to be photographed.

c. in a camera construction, a casing, a reciprocable tube in saidcasing, a lens carried by said tube, a nxed member guiding said casingin its reciprocating movements, a frame at the inside end of said hiredmemberv over which the nlm is passed for exposure and a plurality1 oitleaf springs positioned at the inside end of said fixed member to biassaid reciprocable tube forwardly, the tube said tubular member andcooperating guide members at the rear end o! said tubular member toassure aligned reciprocating movement of said tubular member, arotatable bearing ring fitted into said opening in said front wall, saidring havlrm cam means at its rear tace, contact means at the rear o!said tubular member to contact said cam means upon forward movement ofsaid tubular member, turning means to turn said ring to regulate theamount of projection of said tubular member, which projection iscontrolled by the place ot contact o! the contact means and cam means.retention means to lock the tubular member in retracted position andpropulsion means to move said tubular member) forwardly said abutments.

means including a catch projecting outwardly from the ring outside ofthe iront wall and transversely outwardly extending means on the frontof the tubular member engaging said catch when the tubular member isretracted, said retention means being released upon rotation of saidring.

8. The construction of claim 5, said guide members including atransverse rectangular plate on the rear of said tubular member and arectangular cross section guide passage in which said plate slides.

' 9. The construction of claim 5, the rear end of said tubular memberbeing provided with abutments and said propulsion means including resiljlent means mounted in said casing pressing on 10. The construction ofclaim 5, said guide members including a transverse rectangular plateon'the rear of said tubular member and a rectangular cross section guidepassage in which said plate slides, and a frame positioned inside ofsaid guide passage having forwardly extending leaf springs pressing onsaid plate.

CHARLES LATEINER.

